Social media has proven itself over the years to be an indispensable business tool. Besides fundamentally altering the fabric of brand communications—in terms of sheer magnitude and measurement offerings—social media made it easier than ever for PR pros to stay involved with journalists.
Social isn’t going to replace any of the established media relations tools. Email, phone calls and (god forbid!) desk-side appearances are still all viable means of maintaining connections with journalists. What social media did was create new a space where communicators connect can connect with reporters and collect valuable information on what they're covering and the kinds of stories they’re looking for.
Sometimes pitches can get lost in the daily deluge that is a reporter’s email inbox. And there are plenty of journalists who are simply more engaged with social than other means of communication. Anne Stevenson, associate, corporate communications at NATIONAL Public Relations, argues that PR pros can cultivate opportunities by being present on the platforms that journalists use to identify story angles and sources. Here are some do’s and don’ts that communicators should keep in mind when using social to land a pitch.
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Do’s
Fact check a reporter’s information
With the frequency of job changes and updates in the media industry today, communicators can rely on social profiles to show up-to-date information. Use social to fact check details about reporters before you reach out.
Personalize
Scroll through a journalist’s feed to see if they’ve shared a similar story recently. If so, be sure to reference the story near the beginning of your pitch. Taking a bit of extra time to personalize will increase your odds of catching a reporter’s attention.
Be a helpful resource
A lot of reporters go to social media sites in search of subject matter experts or sources. Keep an eye out for these requests, and if you have the information, make sure to share it. By helping a journalist hit a deadline, you’ll be seen as a resource and you may be directly contacted in the future.
Don’ts
Be too casual
If you’re making a pitch, make sure to clearly communicate that fact in order to prevent confusion. Some organizations have codes of conduct for interacting on social media as an employee. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your employer’s policy if they have one.
Mass pitch on social media
When using social media, the more targeted the pitch, the better. If possible, offer the reporter an exclusive, intimating that you feel this would be a great gift for them.
Let your social relationship end once you land the story
Don’t fall into the habit of abandoning an online relationship with a reporter once you work together on a piece of coverage. While working together builds rapport, sometimes what you do after you are done working together can create a bigger impact.
Follow Anne: @a_stevenson08
Follow Mark: @MarkRenfree